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Daltina
Daltina was a peasant girl whose story is told in the legends of the Lands of the Green Isles. She purchased the lamp of the genie Mali Melin to provide light for her dying mother, not realizing she had come into possession of a genie. When she opened the lamp and released the genie, she was initially terrified but he persuaded her that he meant her no harm. He assured her that he could grant any wish she could ask for. In the months that followed, Daltina and her mother became quite well off -- their home became a large mansion, they became healthy and wealthy. Daltina gave Mali Melin all of the mistletoe berries he desired, and each night when he asked what more she wished for, she answered, "Nothing. I have all that I want." Daltina's mother advised her to keep the lamp a secret, for they were two women alone in a world of devious men. Life continued in this way for several years. Then, Daltina witnessed a prince ride through the village in a royal procession. He was the most handsome man Daltina had seen in her entire life. That night, Mali Melin asked Daltina what she wished for. Though she hesitated -- thinking to herself that the prince deserved to marry a princess -- she ultimately answered, "I wish for the prince." The next day the prince returned to the village with a haunted look in his eyes. He had seen Daltina in his dreams and fallen in love. Within a few weeks, the two were wed. Soon, however, she learned that he was not as noble as she had believed. He was greedy and ambitious -- he desired more land, more wealth, and more power. A dutiful wife, when Daltina heard his desires she asked Mali Melin for the wishes -- sneaking away from the bed she shared with her husband so that he would not know of the genie at her command. One night, he told Daltina of a golden sword that hung on display in another castle. She snuck from the bedroom and into her mother's room, where she told Mali Melin, "There is a sword of gold some ten leagues from here. Have it delivered to my husband in the morning as a gift of tribute." In the morning, the sword arrived at the castle. Unbeknownst to Daltina, her husband had followed her and seen her make the wish for the sword. When Daltina fell asleep that night, he crept away and took the lamp. When she discovered this betrayal, she begged him to let her command the dangerous creatures. She watched as he wished for more extravagant things and changed Mali Melin into a malevolent genie, to match his master's heart. Her love faded as she bitterly watched the kingdom be laid to waste. Finally unable to tolerate it any longer, she drugged her husband's wine. While he lay sleeping, she stole the lamp back. She summoned forth Mali Melin and wished for him to carry the prince to a distant deserted land and abandon him there. Afterwards, Daltina used the genie's power to restore the land. She became the benevolent queen of the land and reigned for many years. Real World Daltina is a character mentioned in the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles, the manual for King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow. External Links *King's Quest Omnipedia Category:King's Quest Characters Category:KQ6 Characters Category:KQ Queen Characters Category:KQ Commoner Characters Category:KQ Human Characters